


Blurred Lines

by imthegreenfairy88



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:20:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25073002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imthegreenfairy88/pseuds/imthegreenfairy88
Summary: Writing the story to being in the story. One day running into a blonde Time Mistress helps make this come true but, at what cost? What lengths are reached and are you expected to go? For fandom? For love? Leonardo/OC, Raphael/Casey(gender switch) Donatello/April, Michelangelo/Renet.
Kudos: 1





	Blurred Lines

t was hard to image this was how my day was going to end up. It started off normal, going to my mundane 9-5 job but, little did I know that running into a good looking blonde on the street would turn my whole world upside down.

It was part of my routine after a long day that I'd stop off at local coffee shop a block from my apartment and grab a tea or beverage to my liking. I'd then head home for an exciting night of Netflix browsing and either ordering in or cooking if I could withstand the stamina. It had become ritualistic to the point of friends forcing me to join and dating app, scared of my spinster like habits. I was just missing the cats. Of course the app was instantly deleted after the first match seemed 'too good to be true' and my debate of human trafficking came up.

Those friends tried different tactics, inviting me out to bars and parties but, my idea of a good night was staying in watching a movie and then grabbing my phone or laptop and writing. Those of course said friends thought it was a little odd for a late twenties, desperately single woman to be writing about something they seemed to think was unorthodox. Unless of course you were my readers, or the writers or stories I read. Then it was something completely normal.

I was obsessed? Obsessed seems a bit much…But, I suppose it's fitting? I love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I've loved them since I was young and then once the cartoons got a reboot in the 2000s my love returned with feverish intent. That fever lead to me discovering a community of writers, and I started writing and creating stories as well as an outlet for some built up… Frustrations? Anyways… I had friends and lived a normal life but, everyone I suppose has their secrets and mine was that. I loved TMNT. Which, I suppose ended me up in this predicament…

Leaving the coffee shop with desired drink in my clutches I headed for my apartment to start my spinster evening of Netflix and cold pasta. The cool fall air whistled through the streets, as people hurried along attempting to find warmth from the unknowable weather of the East Coast. I flip my hood of my sweat shirt up over my beanie, tucking my hand not holding my latte in the front pouch as I walk keeping a firm grasp on the strap of my bag. The jerk of someone nudging my shoulder in passing makes me stop, turning a look over my shoulder as I notice stature of a woman in a long coat. She smiles kindly, her beautiful features making her face bright under the neon glow of the convenience store we're blocking. With a furrowed brow I returning the gesture before heading back the way I was going, not exactly used to New Yorkers being so friendly.

"Wait…" I hear her call out as her hand falls on arm her grasp strong around my sweatshirt. I stop to her hold, looking at her hand around my forearm and up into her crystal blue eyes. Her face is flushed from the cold and hair, a seemingly golden blonde pushed back from a cap over her head that's covered from the hood of the oversized jacket that's buttoned up to her chin.

"Do I know you?" I ask, stepping back from as she keeps a firm grasp. I can feel panic raise in my chest. I don't recognize her face looking at her more closely. I'm trying to remember if I had dated her before, maybe in high school but I can't remember dating someone this beautiful or tall. Not even for a one night stand, I wouldn't have been that lucky.

"I hope so." She chuckles. "I'm Renet."

"OK. Nice to meet you?" I say in question as she sighs, shaking her head.

"No, I'm Renet. Ya know, Renet, Renet…" She says a little slower. She realizes I'm not understanding from my continued look of confusion and near terror covering my face from her firm grip, my eyes dart from her face to my arm. She lets go noticing catching on to my discomfort. My fight or flight kicks in, I almost want to take off running down the street but curiosity has the better of me.

She starts to open her jacket and the cobalt blue of her suit becomes visible. Orbs of minerals bouncing off glimmering spectrum of rainbows reflecting in the lights of the city as my shocked expression is mirrored back at me. I take a step back from her as I look up to her face. She smiles, taking my hand again.

"Yes, I knew you'd know it was me!" She said pulling me down a close alleyway as I let my mind catch up with what was happening. "Wait, wait!" I say, pulling my hand from her as she stops and looks back at me.

"We don't have time for this." She sighs, pulling hood down and reviling her intricate helmet. My eyes widen again as I shake my head. There has to be an explanation for all of this. Cosplay… She's obviously a cosplayer and one of my friends is trolling me.

"So, you made a costume. It's pretty badass actually. Who put you up to this? Kevin?" I say with a shrug, trying to act as nonchalant as I could. Inside I was screaming, this couldn't be real. It had to be fake but, it looked so accurate and real. The orbs and the way they glowed in the light, looking other worldly made my heart race and mind scream at me that this couldn't be happening.

"What?" She asks unbuttoning the jacket reviling her in her whole suit. It was the perfect blue, like a fresh coat of royal blue paint on her tall body. Tall shiny blue boots went up her long legs, to her thighs as her long cape cascaded down her back. She looked like something out of a comic book… Well… Definitely didn't look like any cosplay I've ever seen and if it was she deserved a fuckin' medal.

"Y-You're not cosplaying are you…?" I say slowly as she still looks at me confused. She swirls her hand in the air, a large metal staff appears in her grasp with a matching blue orb glowing on the end. It's nearly as tall as she is as she places it to the ground beside her, leaning her body on it.

"What does that mean?" She ask. "Is that like your universe slang for lying? Because no, I'm not lying. I'm Renet." She says with a shrug as I feel myself get light headed. "Oh no…" She says, grabbing my body into hers. "Don't faint." She says with a grimace… "Uhh… April warned me you might faint…" She sighed as her face blurred and I could feel everything get heavy around me and turn to black.

"Maggie…" I heard the whispers like I was under water slowly coming to the surface. "Maggie." Again a little closer as I felt my head pounding, like I stood up too fast as I opened my eyes to the same beautiful face and blue eyes of Renet, kneeling next to me as I laid down on… My couch? I sat up, slowly looking around my figures placed in my book shelf with my comics and movies. She goes over to them taking Michelangelo and runs her fingers over his bandana.

"I knew it! I knew you were the right one!" She said hugging the Michelangelo figure to her chest. "They're going to be so excited!" She sighed, pleased with herself as I took out a large duffel bag looking around my room. I shake my head to all of this absurdity for a moment, trying to figure out what in God's name was I doing.

"What in the actual fuck is going on right now?" I ask. She stops, her eyes wide from my sudden outburst putting two of my figures down she had been playing with.

"You need to pack some things, we need to go." She said with a simple tone and a shrug.

"Yeah, go where Renet?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. "Who even are you? Why am I trusting you so easily? This… This is so fucked up! I-I don't even know if you're real or, I mean… What the fuck!?" I say, sitting on the edge of my bed, my hands going to my face as my mind tries to comprehend what's happening. Renet's face falls to my outburst, the figures going back into place before gliding her hands over Mikey's bandana once more.

"They're in trouble." She says softly, looking towards the rest of the figures on my bookshelf. I look up at her to her soften tone, her gaze solely on the four turtles as she speaks. "They needed someone's help that knew what they might be up against, knew more information about what's to come. This is what I could think of… I couldn't do anything to…" Her blue eyes turned the color of ice as they returned to mine. Tears welling inside them and down the apples of her rosy her cheeks. "I watched every scenario and in all of them they…" She stopped, her chin quivering as she looked back to the brothers re-imagined in plastic before wiping her face. "It was awful…" She said softy. Well… This was unexpected… I couldn't think of more to do than walk over to her as she looks up at me, her once milky complexion now blotchy with tears and redness. I wrap my arms around her shoulders as she hugs me back. "You're the only one that can save them." She breaths into my hair as I sigh, shaking my head at this backwards fairytale.

"It doesn't make any sense. How am I going to save them?" I ask, pulling back from her as she shrugs.

"I don't know, it's just what I've seen…" She sighs wiping her tears from her cheeks as I nod. "You still don't trust me?" She asks as I shrug, unsure of really anything anymore.

"I don't exactly know what to think." I say looking back at the turtles. Their weapons dawned and colors on in frozen figures on my book shelf.

"Pack some things and meet me in the alleyway outside. Please do not take long, if you're not there within ten minutes then… I know you're not coming." She says dishearteningly looking back at the turtle figures. "But, for their sake, please don't take too long." She said looking back to me. She twists her scepter in her gasps as the orb atop it glows a vibrant blue and she's gone. I just stared for a moment, eyes wide at the empty space she had left. If that wasn't resonating proof that this was real or, I was in a coma dream than… I had finally lost it and I might was well lean into it.

I started packing throwing whatever I could into the duffle bag from my drawers and closet. I grabbed my phone, charger, laptop, glasses and some other personal items from my bathroom rushing through my apartment like a mad woman. I looked at the full bag on my bed giving my room a once over, feeling like I was missing a million things as my heart thudded like jackhammer in my chest. What was I doing? My eyes scanned over to my little corner of geek obsession. The panic I felt calmed slightly, if this was for them, if this was real or even a coma induced dream I would do it for them. Gathering the bag I left before I could talk myself out of it, I didn't bother to look at my apartment just walking out the door locking it and heading towards the back exit of my apartment complex and down the stairs.

Stepping into the alleyway adjacent to my building the only light illuminating it was a yellow florescent glow buzzing and flickering overhead from age. I felt the panic rise not seeing the tall Time Mistress waiting for me as she said she would. Had I taken too long? Maybe she meant another alley? It felt like only seconds to fill my bag and come down here but maybe it was longer?

"Took you long enough." She said as I jumped to her emerging from the darkness, pushing herself from the side of the building. Keeping a hand over my chest feeling it pulse under my palm from the scare I gave her a hard look as she walked to me with a smile. "I knew you wouldn't turn your back on them." She said, twirling her scepter as the orb atop shone bright blue. The alleyway awoke with colors making me squint and take a step back as time and space opened before us.

"So… What now?" I ask with a grimace as Renet's smile only widens.

"We head to New York… Well, their New York." She says as I nod slowly hiking my bag higher over my shoulder. "You've never traveled through dimensions before, I'm guessing?" She asked, looking at my wide eyed expression.

"No Renet, I've never dimensionally traveled before. Always been on my to-do list though." I say sarcastically, speaking over the wind as she smiles missing the jab of my tone.

"Oh good." She says, twirling her staff again as the orb change a brilliant white. The wind from the hole in front of us, the void of space and time picked up, wiping my hair and debris from the alleyway around us. Renet stepped forward, looking back at me for confirmation that I was to follow. I hesitantly step beside her, looking as cans and trash fall into the swirling void before us. She smiles, grabbing onto my shaking hand with a kind smile. "Don't worry, it's like…It's like jumping into a pool." She shrugs, yelling over the wind as I look over at her.

"Have you ever jumped into a pool?" I ask, eyeing the depths of colors and textures swirling into nothingness in front of me as Renet grimaces, shaking her head. "Yeah, it's not like this." I say as I grip her hand tighter. I had nothing to stabilize myself with but her, my pillar of uncertainty that was Renet. Who better to send on this type of mission than her?

"Should I count?" She asks as I sighs, shaking my head.

"No, let's just…" Before I can finish she tugs me into the worm hole she created and we're falling. My throat burning from a scream I couldn't hear, as my hair and clothing ripple from wind I couldn't feel. There was nothing, it was void of everything but, colors and Renet. She was falling gracefully with her staff in grasp, keeping her eyes ahead with a focused look on her beautiful face. I calmed myself as best I could trying to take a que from her badassery putting my hands on anything to hold for leverage but, the colors fell through my fingers like sand.

It felt like we fell forever when I finally felt Renet tugging me to her body. She pointed ahead as another worm hole opens at our feet, coming faster and faster as we fall to it. I feel my stomach go to my throat like the sensation in a dream when you take a step off a cliff.

My body tumbles and rolls against hard concrete cushioned only by my black hoodie, jeans and a t-shirt. My bag is thrown from my shoulder as I finally slowed and land on my stomach, hands covering my face from the impact. Groaning from the soreness already settling into my limbs I feel a hand on my shoulder. Pushing my long brunette hair back from my face I checking my lips and cheeks for cuts hearing ringing in my ears start to settle and the white dots circling my vision fade. The feeling of nausea settles as I start to get a better look at my surroundings.

"We're here." I hear Renet's overly cheerful voice say from behind me, landing annoyingly perfectly on her feet. I'm realizing now that the hand placed gently on my sore shoulder is not hers.

Hesitantly I look up at meeting beautiful emerald eyes, concerned and soft looking into mine. A dusting of orange and brown freckles over the bridge of her upturned nose and cheeks as her face breaks into a slow, kind smile.

"That first steps a doosey." She jokes, breaking me out of my gawking stare as I look down, blush reddening my cheeks. I attempt to push myself from the floor, sitting back and checking my body over for any more damage. Everything seems intact, my black jeans over the knees are ripped with bloody scuffs from the fall but, other than that I'm fine. "Are you OK?" She asks kindly as I nod. She looks over her shoulder, shaking her head before returning her attention back to me. "Can you stand?" She asks as I nod again.

"I can… I just um, need a minuet…" Taking a slow breath I look above at the towering ceiling, curved with bricks and intricate tiles that you don't see anymore in modern New York. It was an old underground subway station hidden away by layers or newer stations built around or over top. Darting my eyes straight back to my knees I shut tight. This isn't happening… I wrap my arms under my legs and tugging them closer to my chest to rest my forehead down to calm myself for a moment. My breathing coming in short bursts as the panic starts to settle in my chest. It feels like it's tightening as I grasp my shirt in my fist, taking slow steady breaths as I shake my head. The rumbling overhead of the alive city makes my heart ache in my chest. The mantra of this not being real, it's a dream repeating over and over in my head was fading as the realer it all becoming. The hand on my back, the eyes bright green, kind eyes and arching brick ceiling of ancient New York subway ruins was all too real.

Renet had landed us right in the middle of it of all… Smack dab in their space, their home, their sanctum. A place where no intruders were meant to be or go. Where they were free to be themselves and not be scrutinized. I was in the lair. No dipping my foot in, no let's meet in a mutual location at April's or an alleyway or a roof top… I was thrown right in. My breath came in shuttered bursts as I chance opening my eyes looking at my knees, releasing the death grip around my legs.

"I'm in their lair." I say softly, my voice breaking as I feel her hand at my back starting to rub a slow circle. Knowing April was kind wasn't hard to decipher but, knowing she was this kind, to a stranger no less was heartwarming. I felt tears well in my eyes, thankful that I had her to hold my hand through this in a sense as I let everything sink in.

"You are." She says, her head tilting down to get a glimpse of me. I feel my face heat at my position on the cement floor, in the entry of their lair just having a mental break down. I must look completely sane. I take another slow breath, lifting my eyes to meet hers and I can't get over their beauty. Green like an emerald shinning under a light for inspection, they were truly mesmerizing.

"You're April O'Neil." I say in a breath, letting the name come out slowly furrowing my brow as it rolls off my tongue. She smiles and it's like her face opens up, becomes alive. Her eyes brighten and her skin turns a beautiful pink. My heart catches in my throat as she nods her head.

"I-I am…" She says, the surprise in her voice is almost comical and like relief after having Renet just know everything. "You're Maggie?" She asks as I nod. "It's nice to finally meet you." She says as I shake my head. "We've heard a little about you."

"You too…" I say, looking shyly down at my tone jeans. "…you honestly have no idea…" Feeling a laugh bubble in my chest. "You're April O'Neil." I say, looking back to her as she looks at me with a furrowed expression nodding her head. Of course she's not going to understand the excitement building. I'm meeting April fuckin' O'Neil. Not a woman playing her character in a movie. The, actual, real woman herself. I snort at laugh, placing my head in my hands. "This is unreal…" I sigh.

"Renet…" April calls as I hear her heeled boots make their way over to me.

"I think we should have met maybe at your place and eased her in." She says softly as I look at her.

"Ya think?" I grumble into my hands shaking my head as I brush my hair back with both hands and laying back to the concrete floor. I need to let this all sink in for a moment. I press the heels of my palms hard into my eyes socks until I see spots, trying to wrap my head around all of this. My leg shakes, my Converse covered foot bouncing up and down on the concrete as April and Renet stand next to me, I'm sure taking in my bizarre behavior.

"Is she OK?" His voice is soft and curious, my breathing catches in my throat and my body stops it's anxious shaking instantly. I slowly sit up moving my hands from over my eyes looking towards the kind voice. Hazel eyes wrapped in violet meet mine as I crane my neck to take in his whole body.

"I think we still need a couple minuets..." April says over her shoulder at him as he nods his head. I get up onto shaky feet as April puts her arms out to catch me but, I'm able to stand steadily since landing. His hazel eyes watch me carefully as I make my way towards him. I stop a couple feet in front of him and feel my heart pounding hard in my chest.

"This is so…" I can't talk, my mouth dropped open in shock as I take him in. His large stature and just, him… It's really him. The depths my brain attempting to process a seven foot large turtle with tech gear strapped to his arms, goggles on his head being stared at with kind eyes wrapped in purple is unimaginable. His eyes dart from mine to April's as I look back at her and back at him. My eyes catch his shell and the stark color of bright orange peering out from behind him. I tilt my head past him as I'm met with a large smile and bright blue eyes. A slow smile spreads over my face as Michelangelo's grows larger. "This is so crazy… Oh man." I say, turning back from the turtles and to April's kind face wrapping my arms around my torso. She walks up to me placing her hands on my shoulders. She gives me a smile as I feel my breath coming in short gasps again.

"Just breathe slowly." She said kindly as I nodded, taking a slow breath in and then out through my mouth. "Good. They're not as intimidating as they look." She said softly as I nodded.

"I know." I said and then rolled my eyes. "Maybe I don't know." I said looking over my shoulder at Donatello and now Michelangelo next to his older brother, his arm resting on Donnie's shoulder. Mikey waves at me as I smirk, looking back at April as I shake my head. "What the fuck is happening?" I ask, looking from April to Renet as she finally walks over to me and puts her hands on the side of my face.

"You promised you'd help." She said as I glared at her.

"I'm not backing down Renet." I said tugging away from her grasp. "I'm just freaking out, there's a difference." I say with a sigh. I turn back to Donnie and Mikey as I notice Raphael and Leonardo making their way over to the crazy girl in their lair. OK, now is it cool if I lose my shit?

They all stand in a line, their weapons in their holds at belts and straps. Their colors over their eyes and statures as intimidating as you could think… They're size is beyond anything I could have imaged. Thinking of it for so long in your head and then seeing it, in the flesh... It's unimaginable. I look them over one by one, my hands going over my mouth to cover my slack jawed expression.

Raphael, his large body standing with his legs shoulder width apart taking up most of the area as he stood next to his brothers. His body language screamed 'don't fuck with me, or my brothers' and I took the message loud and clear. His sais rested in the leather belt, worn with age at his waist and pants that made his waist look smaller than his immense top half, chest, arms and shell. His bandana over his eyes was torn and much like his brothers he had scaring along his face and arms. His eyes were serious as they met mine and green, lighter than the complexion of his skin. He nodded his head to me as our eyes met, a gesture of 'sup' and being aware of my presence, but nothing more.

Michelangelo stood shorter than Raphael and Donatello, with a large smile on his adorable face. Nunchaku dangling around a cloth belt he had around his waist. He had basketball type shorts on with sew on patches along the side of comic book logos and symbols that were worn and scratched up from fights and sparring. Finally my eyes meet his bright happy blue eyes and he gave me a wink. I smirked, holding back a chuckle for the first time it felt like since being there.

Leonardo… My eyes darted down almost immediately when they landed on him. My heart leaped into my throat and it was hard to swallow the lump as I looked back to his body slowly crawling over it. His twin katana crossed behind his head the handles threaded with a matching blue fabric as his mask. The shape of shell just peering out, barely visible past his arms that were crossed over his beautiful chest. The texture and color of his plastron leading down to a pair of pants with two belts sitting at his hips. I let my eyes fall back to the floor looking at my converse covered feet. Ironically enough blue, matching the color of his mask that my eyes looked back to next as his eyes moved slowly up and down my body before meeting my gaze. The lump in my throat returned as my heart rammed harder in my chest.

"Maggie." Renet said, putting her hand on my shoulder as I looked up at her. I pressed my lips together tightly, nerves electrifying my entire body as she walked over to the turtles, Michelangelo putting his arm around her small waist. "These are the guys. I'd introduce you but, I kinda have a feeling you already know who's who." She chuckled.

"That's what we'd like to discuss." April said kindly as Renet nodded.

"I wouldn't mind that either actually. I would like to know why I'm here and…"

"You didn't tell her why she's here?" Donnie asked looking to Renet as she shrugged.

"I said you guys were in trouble? We didn't have enough time too really chat about it." She said with a roll of her eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"That's very vague Renet." He said with a shake of his head.

"I would like to know how she thinks she knows so much about us?" His voice caught my attention like a strike of thunder in a quiet night sky. It was dark, demanding and as stern as the look on his face as his eyes met mine. My body erupted in goosebumps attempting to keep his gaze before looking back down at my shoes. I could feel my heart beat racing as panic started to set in. This was another 'dimension'. Maybe these weren't 'my' turtles. Maybe these weren't the happy go lucky 'good guys' I've always loved. They're Ninjas, they've always been Ninjas, but… They've also killed. In this universe they've killed… I realized in my gawking I never answered the leaders question and his stern expression is now changed to annoyance. I take a slow shuttered breath, my eyes looking back down to my shoes. Great…

"I already explained 'how'." Renet said with a roll of her eyes and annoyance in her voice. I arched a brow to her tone meeting her gaze. April places a hand on my shoulder.

"Maybe take it a little easy?" April asks him with a sour expression to his tone.

"It doesn't make any sense." He says simply as I nod.

"I agree…" I shrug as he looks back to me.

"We already know all too well the possibility of multiverses and other dimensions." Donnie said, turning to the eldest as he opened an image with his tablet as two earth holograms appeared. He walked over to me as I looked at him, smiling a little as he eyed me before standing next to me. "This is your earth Maggie." He said opening the first earth and then slid it to the side, as another came into view. "This is ours." He said as I nodded.

"Yeah great Don…" I say shaking my head. "But, to Leo's point I'm not understanding where I come into this equation to 'help'." I say turning to look at Renet as she looks at me with a wide proud smile over her beautiful face. She turns to Leo with her arms crossed.

"Told ya so." She says as my brow furrows further in confusion to their exchange. What the hell was I missing?

"What?" I say turning back to look at the turtles as they all look at me with shocked, confused expression. Except Leo, his glare is even and deadly. My heart leaps to my throat as I take a step back from him.

"What's my name?" He asked stepping up to me, his strides quick cutting the distances between us before I could move back one step to his three. His blue eyes boring into mine as step back again, looking at April for help. Donnie places a hand on his brother's shoulder as Leonardo's stature calms.

"L-Leo… Leonardo." I say fear clear in my tone. It slowly as it dawns on me where his anger is coming from. "Oh…You haven't introduced me to them yet…" I say looking at Renet as she continues to smile as April gives a grimacing one.

"It's all just a bit unnerving." April shrugs as she puts a hand on Leo's shoulder to sooth him. He calms, taking a step back from me and returning to his tall armed crossed stature. Still intimidating as hell.

"Of course it is." I say, swallowing my nerves. "You don't know me, I come into your home... I mean this is a place where you guys can be yourselves and I just drop in. You don't know me, you guys have protected this place your entire lives…" I shrug, looking at all the turtles as Mikey nods with a look of approval on his face nudging his shoulder with Raph's. Raphael pushes his little brother away, still eyeing me carefully taking a cue from his older brother. A stick taps him in the arm and he looks back before moving out of the way as a large brown rat steps between him and Michelangelo.

"This is our special guest?" He asked as he walks to me, leaning heavily on his stick as Leonardo sighs, going over to the elderly rat.

"I asked you to stay in your room until we were done Father." He said softly as Splinter snorted in derision.

"And I chose to ignore you Leonardo." He said simply as he walked up to me. I smile a little to his snarky tone as he looked me over. Black beady eyes meeting mine as he lifted his stick to my chin. "Margret." He said as I nodded. If this was my chance to redeem myself with the brother's it was now in respect for their father. I swallowed any nerves that lingered taking a deep breath in and slow letting the lingering incense from his robe fill my senses.

"Hello Master Splinter, or do you prefer Hamoto Yoshi?" I ask kindly as a smile slowly went to the old rat's face.

"It has been a long while since someone has called me by that name my dear but, you may call me Splinter." He said bowing his head. I gave a bow back as Leonardo eyed me again, more confusion covering his face as I tried my best to keep my eyes from his. "Come. Leonardo, put on some tea for our guest." He said taking my hand in his paw. Leonardo eyed the both of us. His expression was harder to read than before. Michelangelo joined us as we talked to the kitchen. I got a better glance of the entirety of the lair from where we stood. The entry of the lair, where Renet had dropped us was a large cement platform. Two sets of stairs with metal banisters lead down to the lair itself, large open space. Off to the left was a kitchen, small and makeshift that April must have brought them old appliances and Donnie must have fixed over the years. After the kitchen was a large put together sectional that took up most of the floor of the living area and a wall of TVs. It was huge and made to look like an at home cinema. Off from that to the right was a large gutted out subway cart with tools and spare parts littered outside of it. I was only to assume that that was Donnie's lab. Four alcoves that lead to dark hallways circled the outskirts of the lair, one behind Donnie's lab, one to the left and right of the living area and one to the right of the kitchen just at the bottom of the stairs. I guess I was to find out later what was down those…

"You've traveled very far to see us Miss Margret." Splinter asked, bringing me back to my scan of the area, still not believing where I was or what the hell I was doing. The others came to the table as well to sit, April sitting beside me as the brother's stood. Raphael and Leonardo standing directly behind their father, eyes held tight on me as I glanced up at them. Raph's eyes darted to mine for a moment and tilted his head to the side, arms relaxing from over his chest to at his side reminding me that his sais are close by if needed. I took a slow breath, putting my attention back to Splinter.

"Wasn't that far." Renet shrugged as I looked over at her.

"Do you know all of our names?" Mikey asked as I smiled.

"Yeah Mikey I do." I said as he smiled nodding his head.

"Awesome." He said as Leo and Raph looked at with him disapproving looks.

"I wanna know what exactly it is she's gonna do ta help?" Raph finally spoke as Splinter looked over at him as he shrugged. "It's true Master, she's just a girl. Do ya have any fightin' background?"

"One does not need to fight to be helpful Raphael." Splinter said as I grimaced.

"I was trained in MMA." I shrugged.

"Oh sick, like Rhonda Rousey?" Mikey asked. "You know her right? She's this bad ass chick…"

"I know who she is…"

"You've trained in Mixed Marital Arts." Leonardo asked, unbelieving in his tone as I looked up at him.

"Yes." I say simply.

"Really?" He asked again as I narrowed my eyes now, feeling a little annoyed at his cockiness.

"Want me to show you?" I asked as he smirked a little.

"That would be interesting, but I wouldn't want you to get hurt." He said as Raphael chuckled beside him. I glared at the both of them as Splinter scolded them in Japanese. They both straightened their stances and smiles dropped quickly.

"Please, ignore my sons' behavior." He said, his kind eyes on mine. "They seem to forget that you are a guest in our home and are here to help. What did you favor in training?" He asked, his eyes excited. I smiled, remembering my days of training with my friends a couple years back.

"Judo actually. I was better at that and practiced more than with any other forms." I said, my eyes flickering to Leo's as he kept his face straight.

"Good with take downs." April mused, looking at Donnie who nodded.

"We could always have a training session…" Donnie said as Splinter smiled.

"In time Donatello, let the girl breath first." He said as Donnie nodded. "Does your family know of your travels?" He asked as my face fell a little, looking over at Renet.

"Oh…" She said as everyone looked over at her.

"What 'oh'." Raph said as her face reddened with her pale completion.

"Well… We didn't really have a lot of time… And…"

"Its fine Renet." I smile sadly. "I uh, don't have much family." I shrug. "My um… My mom died when I was fourteen and my dad walked out on us during her chemo, couldn't take her illness so… I've been on my own since. My aunt would stop in here and there but…" I shrugged. "Yeah, just me." I say looking up at Splinter, my eyes glossed over as he patted my hand gently. "I have really amazing friend's though… My um, coach actually. He's great and his husband. They're like my Surrogate dad's so." I shrug. "But, yeah. They'll probably be worried." I say looking back to my bag that laid where it fell on the ground. "I'm not going to get reception here am I?" I ask looking at Donnie. He shakes his head as I nod. "Great…"

"Well, I'm sure once this is dealt with everything can return to normal." Splinter said. "Donatello, why don't you tell her why she is here?" He asked as Donnie nodded, pulling up another hologram as Leonardo placed tea on the table for his father. Splinter poured some for me and then himself. I let the scent of the calming lavender and mint enter my senses before taking a slow sip. "This is a new organization we saw that was sitting outside of a gang that's well known in New York called…"

"The Foot." I finish for him as he looks at me.

"…Right." He says looking over at April as he flicks to another picture. "We found this van outside and we're unsure of what…"

"Earth Protection Force." I say looking at the symbol and remembering it from the cartoons. I look up at everyone with confused expression. "Bishop?" I ask, looking to April as she shakes her head. "Oh no…"

"What oh no?" Raph says, coming over to the table as I grimace with a shrug.

"I mean… I don't know this is tricky. Shredder is dead? Alive?" I ask looking at everyone as Leonardo's eyes narrow.

"The Shredder is dead in your universe?" His voice is low and dark as a shiver crawls slowly up my spine. I shake my head.

"It's multiverse…" I say as Mikey sits up.

"Oh! Like in Comics."

"Exactly. OK… Ugh, this is so fu-" I look at Splinter and bite my bottom lip with a smile. "Weird." I correct. "So, in my universe… You guys are… Um heroes, like movie, cartoon, comics, the whole nine right? So, there are different mulitverses of your lives that get played out in those different forms of media." I say as Raphael looks at me as though I'm a lunatic that just got loose from an asylum. Leonardo… His expression is flat and unmoving. Donnie is musing and curious and Mikey is just plain excited. I put my hand to face giving it a hard rub before I continue. "This is not going to work." I grumble.

"It is!" Renet says as she gets up from her seat and goes back up the stair case. I watch as she rummages through my bag that was dropped and holds up a figure. "See! This." She says, coming back down and places a figure of Mikey on the table. I look at it and then her as my face reddens even more.

"Why did you… When did you take that?" I ask looking down at Mikey's face and then over at real Mikey's face. I'm going to have a stroke.

"When you were taking forever in the bathroom." She shrugged as I groaned, covering my face with both hands.

"I'm dead. I've died in some fluke accident and this is my hell. I'm in actual hell." I say as I place my head on the table.

"Stop being so dramatic." Renet said as Mikey took the figure off the table. I raised my head to meet watch him. His eyes wide and bright as they looked over the figure slowly, his fingers slowly gliding over the fabric of the bandana.

"Whoa…" He said taking a slow breath in and out. "Dudes… I know Renet can be a little flighty and ya know… Renet but, I think this is the real deal." He said as Renet furrowed her brow.

"Hey!"

"Sorry babe, but I mean…" Mikey said, looking to his brother's for help.

"You have a reputation of not exactly…" Donnie started.

"You've been wrong a lot Renet. I mean, you've sent them to the Jurassic period before." I say as they all look at me. Renet smiles and wraps her arms around my shoulders.

"See! I told you she was the one!"

"Wait... " Raphael finally speaks taking the figure from Mikey. "You're tellin us that people have been buyin into our lives with all this bullshit thinkin we're heroes in your universe yet we get screamed at like fuckin freaks here? How the hell is that fair?"

"It's a paradox of universes Raph." Donnie said, taking the figure now and looking it over. "There's an infinite number out there with an infinite number of possibilities. We can't predict all of them." He shrugs, placing the figure back on the table.

"So, the questions now is what is this Earth Protection Force and what is their involvement with the Foot?" Leonardo ask, leaning against the table. His knuckles pressing against the wood as his eyes lower to mine. I watch the flex and movement of his forearms as my eyes move slowly up to his eyes. My breath shutters as I try and calm myself, not trying to make it so obvious that I could self combust at any one moment from complete fangirling. This was important. More important than his beautiful ocean blue eyes staring back into mine. I took a slow breath, looking back down at the old table clenching my hands into tight fists until my knuckles turned white. "If the Shredder is alive then, most likely it's a plan on finding you." I say looking up at him and then the others. "He wants you dead, but… Obviously now it's become a little more sinister and…" I sigh shaking my head. "The Earth Protection Force is like Men in Black."

"Men in Black?" Donnie asks as I nod my head.

"Like Aliens.…They look for aliens." I shrug. As Donnie's eyes furrow in confused before widen in understanding.

"Oh…Oh no." He says as I nod.

"What?" Raph says as Splinter sighs, shaking his head.

"Saki has gone to unthinkable lengths before but this…" He said, getting from the table as I felt tears start to well in my eyes. Leonardo stood back from the table, looking at Donnie as the genius has little to say. I look over at April as her hand wraps itself around Donnie's arm, her hand cupping around his cheek as she coxes his eyes to look at her.

"It'll be OK." She says softly as he nods his head.

"It will." Renet reassures them. "We have Maggie." She says as I snort a laugh, shaking my head. Everyone looks at me as I shrug.

"I mean, that's never been said before… And hearing it out loud sounds fucked." I say honestly as Raphael chuckles a little. "But…" I say looking at everyone slowly, my eyes landing on Leonardo's, making sure that the leader heard me, that he knew I meant this and I wasn't about to back down. "I'm here to stay. I'm going to do whatever I can in any way I can. Regardless of my fighting ability or not, I'm with you guys till the end because I'll be damned if I'm pulled here to help you and I didn't do everything I could. It's probably going to sound absolutely ridiculous and obscured coming from a complete stranger but, I love you guys. All of you and I honestly would do anything for you." I say with a shrug as look them all in the eyes slowly. I feel tears steam down my cheeks as I shake my head, wiping them away quickly as Mikey comes to my side, putting his arms around my shoulders.

"Thanks Mags." He says softly as I smile, putting my arms around his strong shoulders taking in the smell of him. Garlic and orange soda at first but, then musk and layers of incense just lingering against his skin. I take a breath of him as we pull away, still unnerving to think not twenty-four hours ago I was sitting at an office desk. "Now that the boring part is over, tour!" He said, tugging me to his side as I chuckled a little looking towards the others as April shrugged.

"Meet Mikey, he's a bit much." Donnie said as he followed us.

"Awe, D you love it." He said putting his arm around my waist as he walked us into a large open space with a sectional couch that seemed to be made up of five different couches put together. The wall covered in large flat screen TVs. Mikey reached down for a remote and turned it one as they became one.

"Whoa…" I said as Donnie smirked, crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

"Donnie's greatest accomplishment." Mikey sighed happily as Donnie shook his head.

"Not even remotely close Mikey. To you maybe." He said as I looked at him.

"I'm sure the there's more in Donnie's lab that he can say is better than your rotting brain Mike." I chuckle as Donnie looks at me with a furrowed brow.

"My la… It's going to take time getting used to you knowing things about us…" He said, as Mikey walked up to the other end of the large space.

"Speaking of!" Mikey said as we came to the gutted out subway car. "Donnie's lab."

"Which we are not allowed in anymore, because last time we got electrocuted." Donnie said, closing his door. I snorted a laugh as Mikey pouted.

"That was like years ago dude." He said with a roll of his eyes. "Besides you don't wanna show off all your cool nerd stuff to Mags?" He said mussing around my hair as I ducked out of the way of his large hand.

"I think another time when there isn't room for workplace injury." I say as Donnie chuckles.

"Anyways…" Mikey says ignoring us as we all walk together down a long alcove. "Bedroom de-la Michelangelo." He said, opening a door to a large opened room with an old drum set off in the corner, some weights, various nunchuka, and comic books piled and long boxes. I nod my head, leaning against the door frame as Renet comes to the group, wrapping her arm around Mikey's shoulder.

"Showing off your rad space." She says with a smile as his reddens under his green complexion. Donnie rolls his eyes, nodding his head down the alcove to another room.

"Mine. Raph's is down a little further. Leo's is on the other side with Splinter's." He says with a shrug. "Nothing to write home about." He says, nodding his head back to the main room. "So, you care about us?" He asks as we walk back, Mikey and Renet sitting on his bed in conversation.

"Well, I've known you my whole life… Well, a version of you and to be honest this version isn't far from that version. I mean, that's Mikey." I say thumbing behind me. "Goofy ball, happy-go-lucky guy. Smart and witty with a good heart, that's you…" I said as I meet his eyes and notice his face reddens. "Stern and family first is Leo, angry and family first is Raph." I chuckle as Donnie gives a small one.

"You're not far off…" He shrugs.

"I know there's more than that. There's more than that to everyone." I shrug. "Regardless, I'm here and I want to help." I shrug as Donnie looks at me for a moment. I can tell he's calculating.

"Well, whatever it is I'm glad you're here and decided to help us." He shrugged as I nodded. April walks over to us, sliding her head around Donnie's waist as she looks up at him with a smile.

"Enjoy the tour?" She asks, looking back to me as I nod, wrapping my arms around myself to their intimacy, almost feeling as though I'm intruding on it. It was so soft yet, personal at the same time.

"Yeah, this place is huge." I say as Donnie smirks.

"You haven't even seen the Dojo yet." He says, nodding his head behind me as I turn towards another alcove with a glowing light welcoming at the mouth of it.

"Oh, wow…" I say with a yawn, as I cover my mouth.

"It's been a long day I think we should call it a night." April says as I furrowed my brow looking at her.

"Oh… Yeah, how is that supposed to work?" I ask looking around. "I can easily crash on the couch if…"

"No…" April chuckles. "I'm not leaving you with a house filled with boys." She chuckled. "You'll come stay with me and Casey, we have an extra bedroom."

"Oh, oh… Cool." I say as we make our way back to the kitchen. Splinter and Leonardo as sitting discussing quietly as Leonardo stands as I get to the table. I eye him for a moment and smile to his gentlemanly behavior now that he doesn't want to kill me. "So, you and Casey are just friends?" I ask, looking between her and Donnie as she smiles.

"Yeah, of course." She says, furrowing her brow. I nod my head. Must be gay or something… I think to myself as I look at the Mikey figure on the table. I pick it up as Leonardo puts his hand over it.

"I'd like to keep this hear… If, you don't mind?" He says, his voice changed dramatically from dark and dangerous to soft and curious. My eyes meet his as I nod slowly. "We'll walk you home." He said looking to April and myself as she smiles. "Raph, Mike! Let's head out." He called as he bowed to his father. Splinter got from his seat and grabbed my hands again turning me to him.

"You my dear are very special." He said a smile going across his whiskered face. "Only a true soul can care for a Ninja." He said eyeing me as Leonardo came up beside us my bag on his shoulder. I eyed him for a moment before noticing my bag and started to shake my head.

"Don't worry about it." He said as Mikey and Raph came from their rooms.

"Be careful my sons." Splinter said as we all walked up the steps. Renet stood next to Splinter and waved.

"I'll be back tomorrow to check in." She smiled as I nodded.

"Ok…" I said, looking over at April as she slipped her hand into Donnie's.

"Ready?" She asks as I looked at her and the four turtles behind her.

"I guess so...?"


End file.
